An injury to your eye, whether large or small, can make even the simplest task simply impossible. Some eye injuries need emergency care right away to protect your vision. Others, such as a scratch on the surface of the eye, need a same-day visit to your eye doctor. Today we are going to talk about eye injuries and the steps you will need to take if you are affected by such an injury.
Scratched Eye
- An eye doctor calls a scratch on the cornea a corneal abrasion. See an eye doctor right away: call or make an appointment for the same day. Go to the emergency room if you are in a lot of pain or having trouble seeing.
- Some causes of this issue can be foreign bodies in the eye, such as dust or sand, or being poked in the eye. It is a very uncomfortable condition, and the sufferer will experience a lot of eye pain.
- A scratch can let in germs that cause infection, and it can affect vision permanently, so get it checked the same day.
- Never rub a scratched eye. Do not wear contact lenses or use any eye drops until an eye doctor checks it. Keep your eye closed or tape an eye shield loosely over it, and get to the eye doctor.
Foreign or Penetrating Object
- Do not remove the object, do not rinse the eye, and do not press on it. Gently tape a shield, such as a paper cup, over the eye and go to the emergency room.
Caustic Foreign Substance
- This is also known as a Chemical Burn. If you are splashed or sprayed unexpectedly by any substance other than plain water, it can be unnerving, and some of these substances will burn or sting you. Some chemicals cause more damage than others, but every splash needs a flush and emergency care.
- Acids and alkalis can both damage the eye. Flush right away, then get emergency care.
- Chemical exposures and burns can be caused by a splash of liquid or perhaps by being sprayed accidentally. Put your head under a steady stream of room temperature tap water for approximately 15 minutes, letting it run into your eye and out. After flushing, go to the emergency room right away, even if your eye feels better. Bring or note the name of the chemical.
Eye Bleeding
A red patch on the white of the eye after an injury, or any blood in the clear front part of the eye, needs an eye doctor to check it. Blood in the clear front part of the eye is an emergency. The warning signs and what to do for each kind of eye injury are listed in the section below.
Your eyesight is precious. You should treat these and all other eye injuries as potential emergencies, and never hesitate to call your eye doctor. Here at Classic Vision Care, Dr. Mital Patel, OD, and our team are committed to the health and safety of your eyes. To set up your next eye appointment, call Kennesaw at (770) 499-2020 or East Cobb at (678) 560-8065. After hours, or for a chemical splash, a cut, or something stuck in the eye, go to the emergency room.
What is the right eye injury treatment for eyeball pain?
The right eye injury treatment depends on what happened. Some eye injuries need the emergency room now; others need a same-day eye doctor visit.
Chemical splash: flush, then go to the emergency room. Flush the eye right away with plenty of clean water [1], for at least 15 minutes [3]. Then get emergency care, even if the eye feels better [1][3]. Note the name of the chemical [1].
Cut, puncture, or something stuck in the eye: emergency room. Do not rinse the eye, remove anything stuck in it, rub it, or press on it [1]. Gently place a shield, such as a paper cup, over the eye without pressing, then get emergency help [1][3].
Blunt trauma or a black eye. Blunt trauma means a hit from a ball, fist, or other object. Gently hold a small cold compress on the area to ease pain and swelling, with no pressure on the eye [1]. Do not use steak or other food [1]. If the eye may be cut or punctured, skip the compress and follow the steps above. If a black eye, pain, or vision trouble follows even a light blow, contact an eye doctor or the emergency room right away [1].
Scratched eye. A scratch on the cornea (the clear front window of the eye) is called a corneal abrasion. Rinse with saline or clean water, do not rub, and leave contact lenses out [2]. See an eye doctor right away, because a scratch can affect vision permanently [2]. Go to the emergency room for a lot of pain or trouble seeing [2].
Eyeball pain and sudden vision loss. After an injury, get emergency care right away for ongoing eyeball pain, any change in vision such as blurred or double vision, blood in the clear front part of the eye, or a pupil (the dark center of the eye) with an unusual size or shape [1][3].
Safe eye pain treatment after an injury. Do not put over-the-counter drops, ointment, or someone else's prescription in an injured eye [1][2]. For a cut or punctured eye, do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, because they thin the blood and may increase bleeding [1]. Ask a doctor which pain reliever is safe.
Red spot on the white of the eye. A painless red patch on the white of the eye can be a broken blood vessel, called a subconjunctival hemorrhage. It usually heals on its own in a few days to a few weeks [4]. After an injury, have an eye doctor check it.
Eye injury treatment in Kennesaw and East Cobb. Classic Vision Care, led by Dr. Mital Patel, OD, treats eye injuries and eye pain as same-day concerns during office hours. Call Kennesaw at (770) 499-2020 or East Cobb at (678) 560-8065. Use the emergency steps above, and after hours go to the emergency room for any eye injury.
Sources
- American Academy of Ophthalmology, "Recognizing and Treating Eye Injuries" (published Apr. 10, 2023)
- American Academy of Ophthalmology, "First Aid Guide: How to Heal a Scratched Eye" (published Dec. 10, 2025)
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), "Eye emergencies" (reviewed 4/29/2025)
- American Academy of Ophthalmology, "What Is a Subconjunctival Hemorrhage?" (published Sep. 8, 2026)
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